Treatment strategies combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with sesquiterpene lactones have attracted much attention as a promising approach for cancer treatment. We systemically analyzed gene expression profiles of cells in response to two major sesquiterpene lactones, alantolactone and isoalantolactone, and determined whether the sesquiterpene lactone-rich fraction of Inula helenium L. (SFIH) enhances the antitumor effect of anti-PD-1 antibody in MC38 colorectal cancer-bearing mice. Gene expression and pathway analysis using RNA sequencing data were used to identify the SFIH-driven combined activity with anti-PD-1 antibody. The results showed that SFIH significantly enhanced the antitumor effect of anti-PD-1 antibody by reducing tumor growth and increasing the survival time of mice. Specifically, SFIH exhibited antitumor activity when combined with anti-PD-1 antibody, and the effects were further enhanced compared with monotherapy. An analysis of immune cells indicated that combination treatment with SFIH and anti-PD-1 antibody significantly increased the proportion of CD8+ T cells. Moreover, combination treatment enhanced antitumor immunity by decreasing the population of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and increasing the number of M1-like macrophages. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that combination therapy activated immune-related pathways to a greater extent than monotherapy. In conclusion, our integrative analysis demonstrates that SFIH enhances the response of murine tumors to anti-PD-1 antibody. These findings provide insight into developing integrative therapeutics and molecular data for the use of natural products as an adjunct treatment for colorectal cancer.
Keywords: Inula helenium L.; colorectal cancer; immunotherapy; sesquiterpene lactone; transcriptome; tumor microenvironment.